Bitter Memory
by Zanza8
Summary: Set during the first part of Elegy of Entrapment. Mugen returns to his one memory of his parents when Sara asks him to pick out a toy for her son. Sadly, Mugen's brutal parents are drawn from personal experience.


They strolled along, Sara between Mugen and Jin with Fuu trailing behind. The festival was in full swing, lit with hundreds of paper lanterns as people talked and laughed and ate and stopped to watch puppet shows or conjurers or acrobats. And there were many musicians, none as good as Sara, but all worth listening to. For a long time none of them spoke, then Jin broke the silence with the thought that was uppermost in their minds.

"So you wish to see your son."

Mugen glanced at Sara. "Are you kidding? I haven't had a chance to make a move on you yet."

The blind woman turned in his direction. "Would you please pick something out for me? Something a boy would like."

The Ryukyuan blinked. "I don't know. It's not really my thing."

Jin rolled his eyes and went over to the nearest toy stand, examining and rejecting several items before choosing a small drum with two strings. The strings were weighted with beads, and by twirling the handle on the bottom of the drum, a satisfactory racket could be created. He returned to Mugen and Sara and put the toy in her hand.

"Thank you, Jin." Sara smiled slightly. "I wonder if my son will like it."

Mugen eyed the toy, suddenly overcome by the one memory he had of his parents….

_He had been five years old and playing quietly in the corner of the little hut they lived in. He had never been given any toys, but he found pretty pieces of driftwood on the beach and built little houses. Shiny pebbles became people who lived in the houses, and seashells were used for decoration. His most precious possession was a small piece of blue sea glass, and Mugen pretended it was a magic spirit who could grant any wish to his imaginary population. They always wished for the same thing-enough food to eat-but he never got tired of playing with his makeshift toys._

_ Tonight his mother and father were screaming at each other, but it was nothing he had not heard before and he shut out the angry voices until a new sound tore through the room. His father had raised his fist and struck his mother, knocking her down, and Mugen dropped everything and ran to her, crying and pulling at her. His father growled at him and raised his hand again and Mugen cringed back against his mother, trying to avoid the blow. His father's hand connected and he was thrown against one of the few pieces of furniture in the room, the low table against the wall. His face slammed into the edge and his right eyebrow split open, blood pouring into his eye. He blinked it away and crouched, trembling, as his mother surged to her feet._

_ "Don't you dare hit my child in the face!"_

_ "Oh, suddenly you care about him? You wouldn't even have him if the medicine you took when you were pregnant worked. Don't tell me you want him now after you tried to have an abortion!"_

_ "Maybe I wouldn't have done that if you ever asked me instead of just taking what you wanted!"_

_ Tears mingling with the blood on his face, Mugen ran from the house, hiding in the scrub brush outside. The fight became more violent until a scream was cut short and his father stomped out of the hut, cursing violently and staggering away in the darkness. The little boy crept to the door, peeking in and sobbing in terror at the sight of his mother, her head twisted at an impossible angle, her eyes staring blankly at nothing. He ran inside and fell to his knees by his mother, his little hands pulling frantically at her._

_ "Mommy? Mommy?"_

_ She didn't answer and Mugen laid his head on her chest, sobbing hysterically. His tears finally stopped and he sat up, the realization that his mother was gone gradually sinking into him. He reached with trembling hands for the blue stones she wore in her ears, taking them out as carefully as if she could still feel what he was doing, then kissed her on the forehead and stumbled away in shock, never to see his mother or father again._

Mugen shook himself and returned his attention to Sara. "What was that?"

Sara tilted her head. "I said I wonder if my son will like this."

"Beats me. It's been a long time since I can even remember what it's like to have any parents, you know?" He looked over his shoulder for Fuu. She was the most aggravating person he had ever known, but something in her shining brown eyes calmed him in moments like this when there were demons in his head. Fuu saw the haunted look on his face and came up to him, touching his hand briefly, and although he would never admit it, for that one moment Mugen was profoundly thankful she was there.


End file.
